With current job candidates having specific expectations about the information they want from employers and the ways they want to receive it during the recruiting process, some of the traditional methods employers used to convey their messages are becoming increasingly ineffective.

Tish Teeluck and Shivani Amin of PwC say the days when a company could simply and effectively describe its culture and career opportunities through text on a website or in a brochure are over. Even videos featuring employees describing what it's like to work for an organization don’t quite meet the mark anymore, they add.

“In a world where the war for talent is fierce, recruitment must adapt and move faster,” says Teeluck, PwC employer brand and marketing director.

“Technology can help us do that, but it can also alienate candidates who, despite their digital native status, want to feel connected in a real and emotional way. Candidates want to know that they will belong and feel comfortable within a company, and that a company’s culture is a true match for them”

Teeluck cites research that identifies common obstacles in the job search, including candidates not knowing what it’s like to work at an organization, and fearing they won’t find work or a company that suits them or their personality.

In addition, she says that in the last several years, it has become evident that candidates prefer an authentic story about what it’s like to work at the organization and transparency into its culture.

“Words and text don’t do it well enough, and traditional video isn’t always effective,” Teeluck says. “Organizations need to use video to make an emotional connection. What will it feel like to work here? Will I thrive and grow here? Creating an emotional connection with candidates matters.”

Amin, PwC employer brand and marketing manager, points out that virtual reality (VR) and other new technologies being leveraged by talent acquisition functions can help provide that emotional connection and move recruitment of the best talent to the hire phase more quickly, while connecting the candidate to the company in a real, personal, and high-impact way.

“This,” Amin notes, “is key to a successful candidate experience and ultimately, getting the best and brightest hired and onboarded quickly.”

PwC, for example, uses immersive technology to create a new kind of candidate experience, one that drops the candidate right into a PwC office, allows them to meet and greet real PwC employees, tour an office, and even get sense of what it feels like to work with the organization.

“This new, immersive technology brings a human touch to a digitized world,” Amin explains. “About a year ago, we used VR in traditional way by giving a virtual tour of office. While that gave us the opportunity to use this technology to show where we work, it didn’t offer the candidate the emotional feeling of it. Now, we’re creating an immersive experience that can communicate our culture and more. We can only tell the story we’re going to tell with VR. It allows us to create something different and memorable, and extends our employer brand in a different world.”

Teeluck suggests that companies exploring this technology identify the right vendor with which to work.

“If the company can do it internally, that’s awesome,” Teeluck says. “But if it doesn’t have that capability, it should work with a vendor that understands its brand, can help develop its vision, write the script, and market it.”

Amin stresses gaining knowledge of the technology that’s available. For example, she notes that the VR headsets that PwC recruiters will bring to campus so students can view the firm’s immersive video don’t require a phone.

“As technology is changing, it’s important to know about the latest offerings so you can determine what’s available, what’s possible, and what works for you,” Amin says. “By doing so, you can fully leverage the technology to provide high-impact, personal experiences for your candidates that support your recruiting efforts.”

Teeluck notes that its investment in VR also ties to PwC’s focus on “digitally upskilling its work force.”

“All employees at PwC have access to our digital fitness app, which creates a custom digital training plan for each user based on the results of a digital assessment,” she explains.

“More than 30,000 PwC employees are currently using the app in an effort to grow their confidence and understanding of existing and emerging technologies. This means that the VR experience for a candidate is just an intro to what they might experience as an employee at PwC.”